A Time to Love
by RaeGrace
Summary: Andy and Sam are suspended and now it's all about being normal. Plus spending time together and not getting bored.
1. Hypocrites, All of Them

_"Wanna try being normal together?"_

_"How are we going to do that?"_

_"I dunno... I have no idea."_

Hypocrites, All of Them:

"Get in the truck, McNally."

Sam watched as Andy's smile grew wider, a beautiful sight, considering the day they'd had.

"Thank, God. It's freezing," she let out a small giggle and practically skipped the final few steps to the car door. Sam couldn't help, but smile back at her.

Andy had just lifted the door handle, when she stopped in her tracks. When she looked up to meet Sam's eyes, her smile had been replaced by a look of concern. Andy's brow knit together and Sam could practically hear the gears shifting into place. Clearly, something important had crossed her mind in the last 10 seconds. That was his McNally, always over thinking it.

"Uhhh, Sam...Not to you know, be a pain, but should you be driving?" Andy found herself hesitating. Part of her was worried about annoying Sam by questioning his judgement. Another part was a little unsure whether she was completely ready to hear about his experience, even in brief.

When she'd left him this morning, he'd been healthy and whole. Now he clearly wasn't. She could see the brace on his hand, and although his head wound had been cleaned, there were still some nasty bruising where he'd been hit. However, it wasn't the visible things that really had her worried. Andy knew from experience, it's usually the hidden injuries that could do the most damage. However, considering the pictures she'd found in Brennan's file, Sam didn't look too bad.

Sam opened his mouth to respond and then shut it again with a deep sigh. Looking into her big brown eyes, so full of concern, he just didn't have the heart to brush it under the rug, and tell her, "I'm fine." Besides, that was what she always did to him and it drove him nuts.

"Doc says, I've got a messed up wrist," he began raising his arm up, "and a fractured knee cap on the left. I probably have a concussion, you know, from this," Sam pointed to his head, "So I probably, should wake up a few times, tonight. But other then that…I'm fine."

"So basically, 'No Andy, I should probably not drive us home tonight, on account of my being tortured all day by a psycho.' That's what you're saying, right?" Andy smiled, but she could feel her breathe catch until she saw Sam smile in return.

"Yep," Sam answered, twisting to release his seat belt and then to look in the side-view mirror before stepping out of the truck. Except for a small wince when his left leg touched the ground, Sam didn't lose his small smile as he walked around the front of the truck.

"Okay, Andy, you can drive…on one condition. Actually, no…on two conditions…you know what I have a list of demands and seeing as I was 'tortured all day by a psycho', I expect these requests to be met…without protest," Sam couldn't help chuckling at himself. He was pretty sure that the fatigue, hunger and his adrenaline crash were starting to make him a little loopy. But it didn't really matter; Andy was there, right beside him, and about to drive him home. Considering the day, things couldn't be better.

"Yeah, and what do you want first?" Andy rolled her eyes finally opening the passenger's door and throwing her bag onto the floor.

"A really great kiss," he said as she turned back to face him.

Before Andy could register what he'd said, she felt herself pulled into Sam's arms and his lips were on hers. It wasn't a passionate kiss in the traditional sense, but that made it even more meaningful. Andy could feel the tension drain out of both of them, and it almost felt as if the last twenty-four hours were erased. They were back in his UC apartment, lying on the floor and joking about karaoke night. Everything was peaceful again. The way it should be. Normal.

When their lips parted, Sam continued to hug her and he placed his forehead to hers.

After a moment like that, Andy broke the silence, "While that was a pretty good demand. I can't wait for the next one." Again Andy let out a soft giggle. However, this time Sam was quiet.

Finally, he answered, separating their heads and looking at her again, "I'm glad you liked that one, because I think the rest are going to be pretty lame."

It was pretty clear to Andy that Sam was getting tired. She could hear it in his voice, see it in his eyes and feel it in the way he kept holding on to her.

"Okay, get in the truck, Sam. Before, you fall asleep on the side of the road," Andy pulled away from his body heat and stepped out of the way of the car door. Not so surprisingly, Sam got into the truck without protest. Andy slammed the door behind him, "Good. I may be a police officer…well, not right now…kind of…but you know what I mean…either way there's no way I could lift your butt into the truck, Sam. Or the house, so it's probably better if you try to stay awake." With his head leaning back against the head rest and his eyes already closed, Sam gave her a small smile as a response.

With a sigh, Andy walked around and got into the driver's seat. With the door closed, she started to make adjustments. She began by closing the passenger's window and turning the heat up. As she continued with the seat, steering wheel and mirror, she started to talk again. It was a half assed, attempt to keep Sam awake. "You know, the only time you let me drive is when you're either laid up or feeling sorry for me. I think tonight might count as both."

In response, Sam let out a soft breathe of air, which would have been a snort any other time.

"Honestly, Sam, please stay awake. I'm still not sure about all your injuries and stuff. Like what do you need? Did the doctor give you meds? I don't even know if you gave me the whole list of what's wrong with you yet. Plus, this is my first concussion, which is surprising considering I have an alcoholic Dad. You're not nauseous, are you?" With that Andy, reached over and nudged Sam's shoulder really gently.

"I'm still with you, McNally. And I'm hungry. That's request numéro deux," Sam said without opening his eyes.

Finally, putting the truck into drive and pulling into traffic, Andy answered, "I'll make you something when we get to your place."

"No good, Andy. I've been undercover for months remember. Anything that was left in my fridge has gone bad ages ago. Take me to the Penny."

"Ha, no way! You aren't going to the bar, Sam. You're practically sleeping as it is. Plus, everyone's going to want to buy you a beer for surviving, and I'm ninety-nine percent sure that would be a bad idea."

Sam couldn't see her face, but he still had a pretty good idea what it looked like…stubborn. "Look, I'll stay in the truck. You can go in and order my favourite. We'll take it home and then I'll go to bed like a good boy." Even without seeing her, he could sense her wavering.

"Fine," she sounded exasperated and a little nervous. Slowly, he opened his eyes and turned to look at her.

"What's wrong?"

"Well, I know you've been busy today, so you probably didn't notice," She began, struggling to keep her voice light, "but we're pretty much THE topic up for discussion."

"So what?" As usual the easiest way to help was to let Andy muddle it out for herself.

"Well, the whole thing is kind of embarrassing. Everyone knows why I went to see you. Everyone knows we got into trouble. It's all there on the table, and they can just think whatever they want to think. I know I've screwed up a few times, but this is kind of epic. Even for me."

"You've had quite a year. But it all worked out before," Sam paused for a moment to let Andy mull it over. Then he continued, "They're your friends, Andy. All of them, even Frank, despite the yelling. They understand."

At that Andy looked away from the red light and gave Sam a look full of disbelief. "Really, Sam? They understand. The craziness, which has been my life for the past year. They can all relate. To the engagement, and the cheating boyfriend, and the near death experiences, and the confusing mess that all of this between us has been. And now the kidnapping? You really think that happens to everyone?"

Sam closed his eyes again and smiled at Andy. "Yes, actually, I do. You may feel like the topic of discussion most days, but that doesn't mean that rest of them don't have theirF own drama. Epstein stood on a bomb in the middle of a Meth lab, remember? Then, there's Peck, and the drama with Diaz. And Noelle and Frank have been in the middle of their own thing, thinking none of us noticed. Don't forget my buddy Jerry and your girl, Nash. They have lots of fun and they were breaking the rules long before we were." At this, Sam could sense Andy smile, as she pulled the truck into a parking spot and turned the engine off.

"Who else, Sam?" She asked, "I never thought you paid this much attention."

"Well, Luke's just an idiot. Nobody's on his side, Andy, so don't worry about that."

"I think Gail might be, actually. I mean on Luke's side. I noticed today, there's just something…I don't know…connecting there. I think they might feel sorry for each other," Andy's voice took on a strange quality.

Again, Sam opened his eyes. "See, there's another one, Peck's crazy enough to pity Callaghan. How could she ever ridicule you?" At that, Andy laughed.

"Okay, okay! I get it, there all hypocrites. According to you anyway. All except Oliver. Got any dirt on him," Andy somehow doubted it.

"No, but are you really worried about Shaw? The man has nurtured every Rookie that has walked through the Precinct doors even when he's grumbling about it. And I've never seen him like anyone as much as you, Andy. And, I don't think Ollie has ever said a truly mean thing to anyone in his life."

At that, they both sat there in the quiet and the dark for a moment. Andy mulling things over and Sam watching her think. Every gear in motion. He loved that look. Deep concentration, as if there was an answer to everything, if you just thought long enough.

"Okay, McNally. Food! Now!" he broke the silence.

"Yeah, I'm going. Don't move. I swear, Sam, I will eat your dinner myself if you're not in this truck when I get back," Andy opened the door and slipped off her seat onto the ground, slipping a little on the ice and catching herself on the seat.

Before she could slam the door, Sam pulled his wallet out of the cup holder and pulled a few bills from it. She gave him a look, but took the cash and closed the door behind her. He watched her in the rear view mirror and could even see when she took a deep breathe before entering the door.

He waited a few moments, to make sure she didn't turn back, either out of suspicion or fear. When she didn't return, Sam leaned over and grabbed the keys from where Andy had left them in the ignition. He then jumped out the truck and locked it behind him.

He smiled as he made his way, across the street toward the convenience store. He'd be quick and what she didn't know couldn't hurt.


	2. You're Crazy, But I Still Love You

**Author's Note: Well, I just wanted to say a quick 'Hi!' to everyone. I also wanted to let those who commented know that I did read all of the very nice things you said, and appreciated every word. I don't have a lot of time so I probably won't be responding to a lot of comments, but I will be reading them all and they are appreciated. This isn't my first fan fiction. But it's been awhile...like a really long while. So we'll see how this goes. After the finale, Sam and Andy just wouldn't get out of my head, and I now have a long list of stuff the two of them can get up to while suspended. **

**So, everyone wanted to know what would happen to Sam at the convenience store, and a few people guessed what he went to get. But no one wanted to know what happens to Andy, which was where I was always headed next. So, surprise!**

**And now, enjoy!**

You're Crazy, But I Still Love You:

Taking a deep breath, Andy pushed the heavy wood door of the Penny open and walked into the warmth of the bar. Despite her irrational fear to the contrary, silence did not overtake the crowd, nor did she suddenly become the centre of attention. In fact, except for a few patrons near the door, no one noticed her entrance at all.

Releasing her breath, and rolling her eyes at her own ridiculousness, Andy began wending her way through the crowd toward the bar. With a little effort she managed to find a place to stand where she could get the bartenders attention when he got closer. With some luck, this errand wouldn't take too long. Andy was a little bit worried about leaving Sam in the truck for too long. As far as she could tell there were two possible outcomes. Either Sam fell asleep or he got bored and came in. If the second happened and his buddies got a hold of him, who knew when they would finally leave.

However from where she stood, Andy couldn't actually see any of their friends and colleagues. The bar was exceptionally crowded, even considering that the 15th had just gotten off shift. So either they were hidden behind a few layers of people or they'd also decided it was a good night to go home to bed. Andy could understand the desire, she was feeling pretty drained herself. The heat of the bar wasn't helping either. In fact, combined with her winter coat and the bodies crowded around her, Andy's head was beginning to swim.

In an attempt not to overheat, Andy slipped off her gloves and pulled off her toque. Then, on a whim, she climbed up to kneel on top of the closest bar stool. Even with her head above the rest of the crowd, Andy didn't see anyone she recognized. Turning back toward the bar, in defeat, Andy came face-to-face with Ryan, the bartender.

"Something makes me think you're not here for your usual drink, Andy," Ryan chuckled to a somewhat startled Andy. He continued, "I hear you've had a crazy day."

Andy groaned and felt the blush in her cheeks heat her up even more. "Yeah. Yeah, it's been nuts. Uh…Ryan I need a take-out order. That's not going to be a problem? It's pretty busy tonight."

"Couple of bachelor parties, it's not our usual crowd. Apparently, the Star did some review of our buffalo wings. We scored high. Now, I got to put up with these numbskulls." Ryan gestured over his shoulder to a particularly rowdy group of men. "But it's no problem for you; I'll put a rush on your order. What you having?"

"Uhh…I guess a grilled chicken wrap, and a side of soup. Do you still have the potato from this afternoon?" Andy had to raise her voice as the group closet to them started to shout. Ryan was leaning in trying to hear her.

"Yep," he nodded vigorously to make sure she got the message.

"Ok, that would be great. Then I also need…well, I guess, a steak clubhouse with extra mushrooms," Andy wasn't entirely sure that was what Sam had meant by "his favourite", seeing as his opinion changed every few weeks, but it would do. "And he'll want a side of fries. I think that's it. Oh, and two cans of diet pop. Thanks"

Ryan nodded, "No problem. It'll be ten minutes, tops!" He held up ten fingers and then walked away to give her order to the kitchen.

Ten minutes sounded good. Andy shifted her weight so that she could move her legs from underneath her. Her legs were already going numb, and waiting would be more comfortable while sitting.

Just as she settled herself, Andy sensed someone come up beside her at the bar. Expecting them to lean over the counter to give an order, she leaned to her left to give them room. What she didn't expect was Traci screaming in her ear.

"Andy NcNally! I can't believe you're here! ALONE!" Traci let out a huge laugh, as Andy jumped in surprise. Then she continued, "Where's Swarek? I thought you'd be attached at the hips tonight."

Andy laughed as Traci wiggled her eyebrows and made a face. "He's outside, in the truck. I just came to get something to eat. How are you tipsy? We just got off shift."

"After the day we've had, you don't think I slammed five shots as soon as we got here?" At this Traci, leaned in to order another round from Ryan, who also held up seven fingers to Andy and smiled.

With that done, Traci turned back and gave Andy a bear hug. "You know you're crazy, right? Certifiable. But I love you anyway. I told you not to go back there. I told you!" Traci had adopted a very motherly tone and Andy couldn't help giving her an apologetic smile in return.

"I know," was all Andy could think to say in return.

Ryan returned with three beers, two glasses of water, a rum and coke and two more shots, that Andy was pretty certain were both for Traci. He handed them over on a massive tray that Traci swung over her head and high above the crowd. Andy was impressed by her friends balance and strength, even when under the influence.

As she begun disappearing into the crowd, Traci called over her shoulder, "Come on, Andy! Tell everyone you're okay before you leave."

Andy slipped off the bar stool catching Ryan's eye and pointing to where she was headed. In response he nodded and held up six fingers. Andy began to follow Traci, who seemed to part the crowd with very little effort. Again, Andy was impressed and a little bit jealous.

"So who's here?" Andy shouted, hoping she'd be heard.

"Who do you think…," If Traci continued, her words were lost in the noise of the crowd.

Despite not hearing her, Andy decided to respond anyway, "It's just I couldn't see anyone from the bar."

At that, the final layer of the crowd seemed to part and Andy could see her friends. It was no wonder she hadn't noticed them from the bar. They had taken over a corner at the very back of the Penny, that was dark and somehow slightly quieter then the rest of the building tonight.

"Okay, rum and coke for Gail, who's disappeared again," Traci waved the glass around in the air and then placed in the middle of the table. "Then, pints for Dov and Chris. And a bottle for Shaw, who's also M.I.A. Where'd Oliver go?

"Washroom, he'll be back," this from Chris, who was now sporting a foam moustache after taking a large gulp from his beer. Dov laughed and Chris wiped his upper lip with a sheepish grin.

"Water for you," Andy caught the look Traci gave Noelle as she passed her the glass, but didn't know what it meant. "And for the newest member of 15th, also water. Its okay you know, you can have a little fun. Even Chris drinks and he's totally Mr. Manuel."

"Thank you, Ma'am. Waters, just perfect," Officer Sun smiled and took his drink. Andy noticed that even out of uniform, he was completely straight laced. She wondered how her friends had managed to get him to come to the bar at all.

"If you call me Ma'am one more time, I will baton you. That goes for her, too," Traci pointed at Noelle, who produced a look that clearly proved the point.

"And me. Though it won't be an issue for awhile," Andy chimed in without thinking. Suddenly, the focus swung to her and Andy thought she might pass out from the intensity. "Hi," she added weakly.

"Andy! You made it. We weren't sure you would come. Sit," Dov jumped from his seat and moved over to the next chair, which had presumably been vacated by Oliver or Gail.

"She's just picking up food for her new man," Traci piped in, putting back another shot.

Having taken the offered seat, Andy shot a glare up at Traci. She also felt a new flood of heat in her cheeks.

"What, even drunk I don't miss a thing," Traci smiled. "That's why I'm such a great cop."

"Did you put that on your resume because it is impressive," this came from Chris, who seemed like he too may be more then a few drinks in. Actually, Andy decided Dov was in the same state, as she watched him play with a straw that had been left on the table.

"We all rock!" Dov screamed, suddenly distracted from his project. Andy instinctively leaned back in her chair startled. "No seriously, we're awesome."

At this no one at the table could help, but laugh.

"So, what happened, Andy?" Traci sat down and offered Andy her second shot. When Andy shook her head in refusal, Traci downed the drink. As soon as she was done, she reached out for Noelle's water. Passing it over, Noelle rolled her eyes and Traci shrugged her shoulders, as if to say "I'll do as I please".

"And tell it to us straight, McNally. We can take it," Chris spoke, a smile still plastered on his face.

"Yeah, we're like adults, and stuff," Dov added.

"I'm suspended."

It was matter-of-fact and to the point. It also got a huge reaction from her friends. Traci nearly choked on her water. Chris had a beer moustache again and this time he didn't hurry to wipe it away. Dov stopped fiddling with the straw to stare at Andy with his mouth open. Before any of them could give a response though, a voice came from behind Andy.

"And Sam too, I hope. We should lock the two of you up for the worry you cause. This mine?" Oliver leaned over to pick up his beer and also laid a hand on Andy's shoulder. Andy looked up to see Shaw looking right back at her. She couldn't quite place the emotion on his face, but it was clear that Oliver was emotional and that he cared a lot about her and Sam. Suddenly, he broke into a smile, "You two are crazy. You know that, right? You make no sense."

"That's what Traci said," Andy smiled back, remembering her friend's words earlier.

"Well, they're both right," Noelle chimed in for the first time. Andy watched as Traci nodded, and then turned to see Dov and Chris also agreeing on the opposite side of the table. Andy couldn't help it, she laughed.

"I know. We know. We're both suspended, and you know what? Right now I don't care. We're going to try to be normal, and knowing us, we'll probably fail miserably, but whatever!" At that Andy reached out for Dov's beer and took a huge gulp. Then raising the glass, she said, "Wish us luck!"

And her friends did just that, raising their own glasses, and concurring with various declarations of luck. All of a sudden, Andy felt just a little bit better. Sam had been right; their friends were on their side even though they'd messed up big time. Even, Oliver's anger seemed to come purely from his worry for their safety. Andy could deal with that and she could make it up to them.

"Oh, Andy. On way my way back, the barkeep said to tell you, your 'ten minutes are up'. Any ideas?" Oliver asked, as he gestured for Dov to move over another chair, so he could sit.

'Yeah, it means Sam and my dinner is ready. I've got to go. Sam's waiting and he's a little out of it," Andy pulled her hat back on and wiggled back into her gloves as she stood up from the table.

"Bye, Andy', Dov and Chris chorused, from where they were now both playing with the straws.

Oliver reached up and patted her on the shoulder, as Noelle waved goodbye and Sun nodded in dismissal. Andy was about to turn to leave, when Traci popped up and gave her another huge hug. "Just because we won't be working together for awhile, don't be a stranger. Okay."

"Traci, technically, I still live with you. I'm going home with Sam for the night, not disappearing. You're not going to get rid of me that easily," Andy puffed out a breath of air that tossed her bangs into the air.

"You say that, but I'm pretty sure my couch isn't going to be that appealing anymore. Anyway, go, go. Be happy. Drive each other nuts, and see you soon," Traci let her go and started to wave her toward the door.

Andy had taken a few steps away from the table, when suddenly she turned around. She knew she just had to tell them this last thing before she left. "Thank you. Really and truly. Thank you for helping me find him. I just don't know…if he wasn't waiting in the car… I don't know how I would've walked away in one piece," Andy took a deep breath to try and stop the emotion overflowing her. "So anyway…yeah…I really need to go…see you."

Before she turned to go for the second time, Andy caught the look of deep dedication on all their faces. If it wasn't clear before, it was now. These people weren't just her colleagues, or even her friends. Somewhere along the line, they'd become family. They worked together to get through every day and fought to keep each other safe. They wouldn't have left Sam behind anymore than Andy would have.

Andy walked up to the bar, and again caught Ryan's attention. When he saw her, he picked up two brown bags from the back counter and brought them to her.

"There you go. It's eighteen dollars," Ryan said, as Andy simultaneously handed him a twenty and indicated to keep the change. "Oh thanks. Have a good night."

She said thanks and waved goodbye. As she walked out of the bar, she caught a glimpse of Luke and Gail talking near the entrance. Neither of them saw her, which suited Andy fine. She pushed the door open and decided not to think about it, which was easy as the cold of the night made her inhale and her mind go blank.

Carefully, Andy slipped and slide across the parking lot. She was relieved to see Sam, still sitting in the passenger's seat of the truck. She was even happier to see he was still awake.

Andy made her way around to the driver's side, opened the door and managed to climb back into the seat. She slammed the door behind her and it was moderately warmer in the truck's cab.

"Whoo…winter is here is full force. Here take…" Andy trailed off as she turned to give Sam the bags of food. She had intended to hand them over to him, but when she looked over she saw his lap was already full with two or three plastic bags of his own. "Sam!"

"What?"

"Seriously, what about 'Don't get out of the car or I won't feed you' was hard to understand?" Andy nearly yelled.

"That's not what you said," Sam smirked, "What you said was, 'You better be in this truck when I get back.' And here I am."

Sam watched as Andy took a deep breath to start lecturing in earnest, when suddenly she seemed to change her mind and exhale. "Okay, you've got me there. But I'm still not happy about it."

"Do I get to eat?" Sam asked, pretty sure he knew the answer.

"Yes," a small smile appeared on Andy's lips, but she tried to hide it. "What was so important you had to go get it, tonight?"

"Eggs, sausage, milk, cereal, coffee, cream, sugar, bread, butter, and orange juice for the chauffeur. Everything you need for a great breakfast. I told you there's nothing in my fridge, McNally." Sam smiled as she rolled her eyes and shoved the bags she had on top of his.

Andy felt something freezing as she pulled her hand away. "And what did you buy that's so cold?"

"Ice cream," Sam answered, his smile getting even wider.

"Let me guess, you're going to school me on the many benefits of Pistachio," Andy voice was full of sarcasm, but it was already an act.

"God, no! Pistachio is disgusting. Nobody likes Pistachio," Sam's voice was completely serious. "No, I bought chocolate. You seem like a chocolate, kind of girl. And it's my favourite."

When Andy glanced over, Sam was looking at her, smiling from ear to ear. There was no sign of him ever being tired. As she turned back to the road, Andy couldn't help, but break into a huge grin herself.

"Sam, you're crazy. You know that right?"


	3. Disrepair & Decor

**Author's Note: Again, I'd like to say thanks for the reviews. You were all very nice. I thought I knew where this chapter was going when I started, but it's sort of done its own thing. But I think I still like it. I hope you do too. Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Disrepair &amp; Decor:<p>

The ride from the Penny had been uneventful. After Andy'd started driving, Sam had placed most of the bags on the floor and dug out his sandwich. While he ate, she had recounted bumping into the others at the bar. At first, Sam had been alert, asking questions and laughing between mouthfuls of steak and mushrooms. However, as they got closer to home and Sam finished his dinner, he got quieter.

With his hunger satiated Andy was pretty sure, the exhaustion was beginning to overtake him again. It was confirmed when she glanced over to see him struggling to keep his eyes open. It was kind of cute actually, but she kept her smile to herself. It was clear, that the next priority was getting Sam to bed, and unfortunately that wasn't a euphemism.

What Andy hadn't counted upon was the state of Sam's driveway, when they pulled up to his house. Shocked, she stopped the truck in the middle of the quiet street with the left turn signal still blinking. Although, they had only gotten a few centimetres of snow today, the last few weeks were a different story.

Sam's front lawn was buried under at least three feet of snow. The exception was at the end of the drive, where the plough had piled a drift that was at least two feet higher then the rest. It was at that moment, while looking at the Ski Chalet, which was Sam's house that Andy realized just how tired she was as well. The idea of shovelling out before going inside made Andy groan.

"Shit," Sam was concise, but accurate. "I hate winter."

Andy looked over to see that events had once again brought Sam out of his lethargy. He was leaning forward in his seat looking out the front window at the same horror show she had just been regarding.

"What should I do?" she asked, hoping that Sam would have some miraculous suggestion, she hadn't thought of.

Sam looked over at her and seemed to understand her deep seated desire not to shovel. With a smile, he turned to look behind him and then forward again. "Hmm…well, we can't leave it on the street. Plough will be back tonight, and all I need is another ticket."

"Another?"

Sam just flashed his dimples again and continued. "So you ready to do exactly what I tell you, McNally?" After she nodded, he leaned over to the dash board and flipped some sort of switch. Then he continued, "Okay, Andy. Back into the drive across the street and then….well…basically floor it… but gently."

"Seriously," Andy stared at him. "Are you sure, the doctor checked your head."

"Yes," he laughed. "All you have to do is get us in, Andy; we can dig her out in the morning. I'm hoping that four-wheel drive, quality snow tires, which I thankfully remembered to put on early this year and sheer luck, will get us over that hill."

"And if it doesn't and we get stuck in that small mountain," Andy gestured ahead of them. She still wasn't entirely sure this was a viable plan.

"Well, then we'll have to dig her out, sooner rather then later. But it's worth a shot, isn't it? There's like a fifty percent chance we won't have to shovel. If you want, I'll drive."

"No, I got us this far," Andy pulled the truck forward, then put it into reverse and backed into the empty driveway. Switching back to drive and turning off the signal, Andy took a deep breath. "Okay, here we go."

Sam watched as Andy looked both ways to make sure there was no traffic before giving the truck gas. Thankfully, there was traction and began moving forward at a fair pace. It wasn't long before they came into contact with the snow, but with a big bump, Sam watched them get through the majority of the pile. Now was the moment of truth. After the momentum of the build-up, would they be able to inch through the rest of the snow.

He could feel Andy continue to give the truck steady gas, as her excitement grew, "Come on, come on, come on. Just…a…little…farther!"

At that, as if the truck was listening, suddenly they got traction and moved forward again. It was just enough to get the back end off the road and into the driveway. Operation 'Hope and Luck' was a success and there would be no shovelling tonight. Sam was relieved.

"Good job, McNally," Sam laughed as he watched Andy raise her arms in victory.

"You have no idea how happy I am, we don't have to shovel," Andy giggled, turning the engine off.

"Yes actually, I do," Sam reached out a hand and patted Andy's shoulder. "Okay, that was fun and I'm sure my neighbours are impressed, but that's enough excitement for one day, I'm exhausted."

"It's enough excitement for months, actually. Give me some of those bags," Andy reached over to him, after pulling her gloves on.

Sam leaned down and handed Andy her work bag, and then a few more grocery bags. Then he collected the rest himself, "You know getting to the front door isn't going to be much fun."

"I know," her voice was full of dread. Sam looked over to see that Andy already had the driver's door open and was seated sideways, staring down at the snow, which easily reached the underside of the truck. "Here we go."

With that Andy launched her self into the snow. When she landed, she realized it could have been worse. Her weight only pushed her through the top two feet or so. Under that Andy could feel that the snow had become compressed. It was cold, though.

At that, Andy heard a thump and muffled curse, as Sam jumped out of truck on the other side. "Having fun, yet?" she spoke through the empty cab.

"Not really. Where are the snow shoes when you need them?" Sam answered, and then slammed the door closed.

Andy did the same and started to make her way toward the door. It was slow going, but eventually Sam and Andy were standing on the front porch. Again, they were staring at a mess.

"Your house is starting to seem very neglected," Andy's voice was humourless.

Sam grunted, and bent over to pick up a handful of mail. This did nothing to reduce the pile that had developed on the porch. He glanced at the letters in his hand and then grunted again.

"You know what I hate more then winter? Boyd. I hate Boyd," Sam was obviously getting a little angry. "He should have taken care of this." He gestured to the mail and continued, "Jeez, if he didn't want to do it, he just had to ask Ollie. He would have done it. Or Jerry. Or you. You would have called Canada Post for me!"

"Of course, I would have Sam, because I'm not a jerk." Andy reached up and rubbed his shoulder. The day had been too long and it was starting to get to both of them. "But we'll clean it up, Sam. We'll fix it and get things to organizedl. I promise. But tomorrow, Sam. We'll start tomorrow."

"We can't leave it like this, Andy," Sam kept staring at the pile. It was clear; he was at a loss for a solution.

Andy looked around, and then moved to the front door. "Do you have an alarm or anything?" she asked.

Sam looked up briefly and nodded, "On the wall, right of the second door, 8722."

Upon hearing the numbers, Andy shot Sam a questioning look, but he had knelt down to inspect another handful of envelopes and wasn't paying attention. Andy decided to leave it and turned to put the key in the lock. After a moment spent finding the alarm panel and disarming it, Andy placed the bags she was carrying onto the floor. She decided to ignore the dust that floated up into the air and turned back to the open door.

"Give me those bags," Andy held out her arms and Sam complied, slightly bewildered. Andy put the second load beside the first and again turned to stand in the doorway.

"Okay, we're going to shovel it all into the front hall, and then we're going to forget about it for tonight, okay?" she tried to sound optimistic, but it was pretty forced.

"And here, I thought I got out of shovelling," Sam muttered, picking up a bigger handful. The smirk he managed was less then enthusiastic.

Sam handed the stack off to Andy, who unceremoniously dumped it onto the floor. Between the two of them, it took about ten minutes, to get all the mail into foyer. When they finally finished Sam walked off the deck into the house and Andy locked the door behind him.

Andy watched as Sam took off his jacket, kicked off his shoes and then stepped over the newly formed pile of letters. He then picked up all the bags, except for Andy's duffel, and headed toward the kitchen.

At least, where Andy thought the kitchen was. She'd only been here once before and that night was a bit of a blur. Plus, it had been dark. Andy smiled at the memory. At the time, it had been complicated and messy, but now Andy just remembered the good parts.

Taking off her jacket, and boots, Andy shivered. It was clear that if the furnace was even on, it was set very low. Glad she had on a sweater; Andy left her bag and followed in Sam's wake. Around the first corner she could see the shadowy outlines of a pretty standard living room. Andy paused for a moment to take it in, but her focus was shifted when Sam turned on a light in the kitchen.

As she started to walk toward the doorway, for some reason, Andy began to feel nervous. Being in Sam's house was a little strange. He belonged here, but it was all new for her. Stranger in a strange land. That was her. To compensate for the butterflies and true to form, Andy began talking.

"It's been a while since I was here. Well, I was here the night you went undercover, but only outside. What I mean is… that I never got a proper look inside, that night…you know…_that _night. But it's really ni…" Andy had been calling ahead of her, but she trailed off as she entered the kitchen and got her first proper look at Sam's house.

Sam looked up from where he was behind the counter and smiled. He was in the middle of pulling her dinner out of the bag and putting her sandwich on a plate. Sam took in the look on Andy face and couldn't help, but tease her.

"We were a little preoccupied that night. Plus, your exit was record breaking." Sam hoped that she wouldn't get defensive. With Andy, he was never sure if she would swing left or swerve right. He continued to stand observing her and was more then a little surprised when she said nothing at all. Instead, he watched as she started wandering around the room, first running a hand along one of the exposed brick walls and then bending down to look closer at the hardwood floors.

"I take it you like my kitchen," Sam asked, when she finally walked up to the stone counter only to trail her fingers along the surface. Not waiting for an answer, Sam pushed the plate toward her, "Sit, Andy. Eat."

"Yes, I do. I really do. It's beautiful. I love the brink and wood. It's so warm and inviting…" again she trailed off, but this time she climbed onto one of the bar stools at the end of his counter and took a bite of her food.

Sam couldn't help, but smile and shake is head in wonderment, as he watched her continue to inspect the room. Having Andy there in his house was nice. It felt good, especially since she was doing something completely normal. After staring at her for a few minutes, Andy finally turned to look at him. She smiled with a bit of red tingeing her cheeks and it was perfectly 'Andy'.

"What?" she muttered through half a mouthful.

"Nothing," he smirked and pushed off from where he had been leaning on the counter. He moved toward the bags and began putting things away in the fridge.

"How long have you lived here, Sam?" she asked. Now that she was sitting, her voice was calm and the tension of their arrival had disappeared. The world was back to being just her and him. Sam liked it that way.

"About four-ish years. I think. Not too long," he placed the ice cream in the freezer as he spoke.

"I'm guessing it wasn't like this when you moved in. Was it?" Andy raised her eyebrows and reached for the spoon he'd placed on the counter for her soup.

Sam laughed and shook his head, "No, definitely not. It was…well it was okay. It's a pretty standard place for this area. Though, it was a bit run down, but I didn't mind. I wanted a place I could work on. You know… a project. I told you I'm good with tools, McNally."

"Hmmm," was her only response as Andy had the soup spoon in her mouth. She nodded her head simultaneously and Sam found himself staring again.

For the first time since meeting her, Sam felt like there was no pretence between them. He knew exactly why she was sitting at his kitchen counter. He didn't have to pretend that she was just his partner, or his friend. He didn't even have to call her Candace, anymore. Tonight, she was Andy and she was there for him. Andy had been right about being normal. They needed it badly.

Sam turned back to what he was doing as Andy finally stopped eating long enough to speak, "See, I could tell. The whole room just feels like you. You've got good taste." Again, she filled her mouth with soup.

Finishing, Sam flipped off one of the lights over the sink, and turned back to Andy. "Is that so?" he asked as he placed his elbows on the counter in front of her and leaned forward.

Scraping the last mouthful from the plastic container, Andy nodded with a cheeky grin. "You know, it feels stubborn, and reckless, with a touch of sarcasm. Not to mention well aged."

"Oh, you're hilarious," Sam moved closer and kissed her gently just as she broke into another smile. He was just thinking that he may never stop when Andy placed a hand on his shoulder and pushed him away. She then proceeded to let out a massive yawn.

Sam couldn't help, but let out a deep laugh "Well, if I'm boring you, I'll stop."

"That's not why, I'm yawning," Andy swatted him on the arm and pushed her empty plate toward the sink.

"You done then?" he asked as she let out another huge yawn and nodded, "Okay, bed time for you, Andy."

"Awww, but I don't wanna!" Andy crossed her arms and pretended to pout, but it wasn't long before she was stifling her third yawn.

"No complaining," Sam said. As an after thought he added, "And remember how you're supposed to be taking care of me?"

"I got you home didn't I? And now my exhaustion is forcing you to go to bed. See, it's all part of my diabolical plan." Andy slipped off the edge of the chair and landed on the floor with a soft thump. "Let's see if I remember where your bedroom is."

"Hold on a minute. I need to get something from the back."

Andy raised an eyebrow and watched as Sam walked around the counter toward the other side of the room, which showcased a beautiful harvest table. As he opened the back door, Andy couldn't help, but follow out of curiosity. The kitchen had been a surprise, perhaps there was more to the tour. She wasn't disappointed. As he walked through the door, Sam hit another light switch. This time it revealed an enclosed sun porch that was attached to the rear of the house. If she'd been impressed by the kitchen, Andy was stunned by the porch.

The area was entirely made of wood, and the windows filled most of the three walls. Even now that the sun had set, Andy could tell that this room was much warmer then the rest of the house during the day. What really made the space inviting though was that Sam had filled it with book selves, coffee tables and two shabby old chairs, which looked like they were extremely comfortable. Andy also noticed a small rectangular table pushed up against the wall. It was surrounded by three mismatched chairs and on top were two decks of cards. Andy was certain she had found the location of poker night. It was much classier then she'd expected.

Absorbed with taking in another room, Andy wasn't paying much attention to Sam, but it wasn't long though before he returned. In his arms, he was carrying several logs and on top of that a pile of kindling. Now that she knew what she was looking for, Andy could now see the firewood stacked beside another door, which must lead to the back yard.

Extremely excited by the prospect of some warmth, Andy couldn't help herself, "Got any marshmallows?"


	4. Bedtime

Bedtime:

She had been refused marshmallows. Sam had simply rolled his eyes, spun her around with his free hand and begun marching her back toward the staircase in the front hall as if she were two years old. Andy had been a bit disappointed, but she'd managed to forgive him.

She was now happily kneeling in front of the beginnings of a very nice fire. It hadn't taken Sam long to get it started, which was a little surprising considering that he was such a city boy. Though, Andy had to admit to her self, she probably wasn't the first girl he'd tried to woo off their feet. Any other night this thought may of upset her, but tonight she could only smile.

Now that she was really and truly warm and the prospect of bed was only a few feet away, there was only one thing that was still bothering Andy.

"Are you sure this fireplace was here the last time?" Andy spoke over her shoulder, where Sam had disappeared into the bathroom.

"Yes, Andy," was the garbled reply, and Andy realized that Sam was brushing his teeth. The toothpaste didn't mask the slight irritation in his voice, though. In fact, Andy could sense him rolling his eyes again. It wasn't the first time she'd asked him this particular question since coming upstairs.

Andy knew she was tired, because Sam's annoyance only made her smile. She should probably just drop the subject and enjoy the fire, but Andy just couldn't help it. At this point, bugging Sam was a little bit too much fun.

As she turned to face the bathroom door, she began speaking again, "Seriously. I don't believe you. See I remember the bed," Andy pointed in that direction even though he couldn't see her. "And I remember the paint colour. I even remember the ensuite and the view out of the window. But I don't remember the fireplace."

The only response Andy heard from the other room was a muffled, "Uh huh."

She should stop, she really should. They'd been having such a good night, despite everything. She didn't really want to start pushing his buttons. However, the section of her brain that controlled discretion had shut off long ago. The part that found this particular joke hilarious was still alive and kicking.

"How could I miss an entire fireplace? Especially one that's this nice?" Andy's attempts to keep the laughter out of her voice were failing. "Beautiful ironwork…lo…lovely hearth…simple…and…and understated mantle. And the SCREEN! It's a re…real mas…ter….piece." With that Andy was reduced to peals of laughter, brought on by her silliness. It wasn't long before she was lying on the floor, holding her stomach and struggling to get enough air at the same time.

This was how Sam found her when he walked out of the bathroom. He paused a moment to shake his head at her, and then pulled on a shirt. He'd already changed into a pair of pajama bottoms while Andy had been sitting, fascinated by the fire. What was he going to do with her?

While the answer to that was pretty simple, actually.

"Bed."

For some reason this only produced another round of laughter from the floor. Sam pinched his nose, shook his head again and walked over to the dresser. He knew that at this point it was beyond her control and a small part of him would even admit that it was cute, but Sam had started to develop the mother of all headaches. The pain was eating away at his patience quickly and the sight of his bed had made all his muscles start to ache. It was time to wrap up the festivities.

From the floor, Andy had managed to reduce the volume of her laughter. She had craned her neck so that she could watch Sam walk across the room and begin rummaging through the drawers. He was even handsome and sexy upside down. At this thought, Andy sputtered out a few more giggles. She was really trying to keep it under control. She hadn't missed Sam's clear exasperation with her.

It wasn't long before Sam found what he was looking for and walked back toward her. As Andy watched, she slowly relaxed her neck until he was standing directly above her. She noticed that he was now carrying a piece of clothing in one hand and the other was also gripping something.

Before sitting down beside her, Sam paused for a moment looking down. She'd finally stopped laughing, but the smile was still there on her lips. He loved that smile. The fire was bright and although she wasn't as close to it as before, it still light the left side of her face. That was nice, too. Her hair had spread out above her, and Sam noticed it was nearly the same colour as his hardwood floor. He hadn't known until recently, but he also liked it when her hair was all messed up. It added to her charm.

The only thing that Sam could think was, 'another perfect moment with Andy'. The whole situation reminded him of the previous night. That had been great, but getting to do it again was a blessing on so many different levels. Plus there was one thing he'd forgotten to tell her the night before.

"You're beautiful," he said as he lowered himself and reached out a hand to pull her up so she was seated beside him. Sam watched as she scrunched up her nose as a response. He kissed between her eyes, where she'd made the wrinkles appear. Then he said, "Not so much when you do that."

Sam was a little bit startled when Andy threw her arms around his neck and proceeded to give him a tight hug. It wasn't her usual style, but then this hadn't been a usual day. He hugged her back and barely noticed the ache from the few bruises she was squeezing.

After she'd pulled away and kissed him in the same place as he done to her, all he could think to say was, "Thanks."

With another giggle, Andy responded, "You're welcome. Is that for me?" This time Andy was pointing to the fabric in his hand.

"Yes. Something to sleep in, I figured you probably didn't pack an overnight bag," Sam passed the t-shirt he'd found over to her.

"There hasn't been any need for one. But it's a bit cold tonight… and I don't think we're going to…you know…" Andy trailed off as she stood up. In one fluid motion she removed the sweater she was wearing and placed it on the back of the chair that was sitting close to the fireplace.

Sam decided not to respond to her comment. It's not that he didn't want to, but he had to agree, tonight wasn't the night. As he watched her remove her t-shirt next, Sam asked, "Do you want a pair of pants?"

"No," was the answer that came through the fabric of his t-shirt as Andy pulled it over her head. After a few strange movements, Andy's head and arms emerged. In her left hand was her bra, which explained the delay. Her hair was even more of a mess. Sam loved it.

"Nice and roomy," Andy continued as she shook the grey fabric, which came down to her thighs. "I like. You better be careful sharing your clothes, I might start stealing things."

There was a glint of mischief in her eyes and Sam smiled, "I've been warned."

Andy bent over and kissed him again, smiled, turned and disappeared into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. Sam stared after her for a minute before shaking his head and refocusing his attention elsewhere.

Sam took a moment to ensure that the fireplace was set up correctly and that the front grate was closed properly. All they needed was to start a fire in the middle of the night. He'd only put on one log and a few small branches. It would be enough fuel to take the chill off the bedroom, but would burn down in about an hour or so.

When he'd finished with that, Sam got up from the floor and walked over to the bed. Before he started to pull down the comforter, Sam placed the pill bottle he'd also been carrying onto the side table. He then proceeded to give the sheets a good tossing around, to remove some the dust that had collected on them. They'd been pretty much clean when he'd left, but disuse had left them dusty. It wasn't exactly five star, but he'd be damned if he was changing the sheets tonight.

Sam had pulled a new set of pillowcases from the linen closet on the way upstairs, and was in the process of putting them on, when Andy returned from the bathroom. She was now carrying her jeans in her hand and her legs were completely bare. It was fetching. 'Any other night…' Sam thought.

Although, the fire had done its job, it was clear that Andy was still feeling the cold as she threw her jeans onto the chair and launched her body toward the bed. It wasn't long before she was snuggled under two or three layers of blankets. For a moment all Sam could see was a few wisps of her hair trailing over the pillow he had just replaced.

The bed wasn't as warm as Andy had hoped for. It was better then the air, but not by much. She could hear Sam chuckle at her antics and then sit down on the side of the bed.

"Andy."

Even through the sheets, Andy could tell that he was asking for her attention. Reluctantly, she pulled down the sheets and sat up against the headboard.

"Yep," she said, indicating she was ready to listen.

"I set the alarm for about four hours from now," Sam said as he pulled the sheets back and joined her. "You have to make sure I wake up."

"Ok, that seems easy, enough." It was then that Andy noticed the prescription bottle on Sam's night table. Reaching across his lap and grabbing the medication, Andy asked, "What's this?"

"Tylenol 3, good for what ails you," Sam smirked.

"Did you take some, already?" Andy raised her eyebrow.

Sam took the bottle from her hands, "No, but now I am."

"Ok."

"Don't look so worried, Andy. I'm fine. But we'll be careful and follow the Doc's orders. Ok?"

With that Sam replaced the bottle on the table and put his arm around Andy's shoulders. He gently pulled her back down into the sheets and into his chest. Again, Andy was buried in fabric, but this time it was much warmer with Sam beside her.

For quite some time, the only light in the room had been from the fire. Now they both lay, watching the light dance on the ceiling and listening to the wood snap and crackle. It was incredibly calming. Andy also had the added advantage of being able to hear and feel Sam's heartbeat. This was enough to let the worry drain out of her again and let her mind stop racing.

After a few minutes, Andy was nearly asleep when Sam surprised her by speaking again. She had been certain he'd already drifted off.

"I thought you were dead."

"What?" Andy lifted her head up from his chest, and looked at Sam's face. He was still staring at the ceiling.

"The first thing I asked Brennan…was about you. He gave me some cryptic answer. I thought for sure that…that…he'd hurt you." Andy could barely handle it when she heard Sam's voice falter and felt him squeeze her tighter.

Andy disentangled her hand from the sheets and placed it on his face. "But he didn't. He didn't touch me. I'm fine and I'm right here."

Finally, Sam looked down at her and in the dim light she could just barely see the pain in his eyes. "I kept fighting, because I had hope. I had hope because you're strong and you're smart. But Andy, I don't think you know what it felt like… to think he'd hurt you. It was worse then the rest of it all put together."

Andy struggled to break his hold on her, so that she could face him properly. It took him a moment to realize what she was trying to do and for him to finally loosen his grip. She turned and pulled herself up until she was kneeling in the space between his side and his right arm.

Andy's heart was breaking as she placed her hands on his shoulders. Sam was usually so strong, but she wasn't stupid. She knew that fifty percent of it was an act; years of practice at being a cop. Today had clearly put a strain on his façade.

"I do know," she answered. "I do, Sam. There was so…so much blood at the apartment. And we'd just… been there. We'd been…happy."

Andy paused for a moment and Sam moved his hand to her shoulder and squeezed. Looking at him again, Andy continued, "I was scared, and I was worried… and I _knew _that he'd hurt you. And the worse part…for me…was that you were alone. I'm sorry that you were alone."

Sam nodded his head and pulled her down to hug her and kiss her forehead. When she rose back up, Sam could see the tears running down her cheeks. Part of him was sorry he'd brought it up. They'd had such a lovely evening, despite having a horrible day. On the other hand, he'd had to tell her. Tonight, he needed to lean on someone and he knew her well enough to know Andy could handle it.

"I need you, Andy. I don't know why, but I've known since I met you, that you're supposed to be a part of my life." Sam sighed, trying to say what he meant without actually saying it. They'd come a long way, but he was pretty sure Andy still was ready for it all. "I just mean…you're special…important."

Ending pathetically, Sam was surprised to hear Andy giggle again. Then she took in an exaggerated deep breath and puffed it back out before speaking.

"I love you too, Sam," Andy overstressed.

With that the serious mood was suddenly broken. However, Sam was left a tiny bit shocked. Just as quickly as she'd jumped into bed earlier, Andy resumed her position lying in the crook of his arm. Everything was returned to how it had been before and Sam was left wondering if they'd even had a conversation. His wonderment was broken when Andy spoke again, this time to the ceiling.

"If you ask me again in the morning, I will deny ever saying such a brash and ridiculous thing." Andy paused. "This was a special occasion. A my-new-boyfriend-got-kidnap-and-tortured sort of thing. And I'm expecting that to only happen once." She took a moment to give him a playful glare. "Anyway the next time I say it, it will be after much thought and consideration. After we've done this normal thing for awhile."

At that she seemed to have finished. Sam couldn't help, but smile at her kookiness. Andy McNally was beautiful, intelligent, funny and apparently his new girlfriend. All of which, he could live with.

"Ok, Andy. Whatever you say."

A few minutes later, they were finally asleep.


	5. The Mundane Things

**Author's Note: Sorry if you've been waiting. You know life. It gets in the way. I hope you enjoy the next installment. And as always, thanks for all your reviews on the other chapters. Don't forget to let me know what you think of this one! ;)**

Chapter 5 – The Mundane Things

The first time they'd woken up had been fine. The second time Sam had slammed the alarm off before it woke Andy. When it rung for the third time, he'd been awakened by Andy shaking him in a panic. After assuring her for five minutes that he was still healthy and alive, just exhausted, they'd finally fallen asleep again.

This time was different. It wasn't the alarm that Sam woke up to, but the weight of something landing on his back. Sam opened an eye briefly to find the pillowcase in front of his face. Despite being buried under the duvet, Sam could tell that the sun had risen. He could also sense that Andy was no longer curled up in the bed beside him. It was clear that the day had begun without him. He could live with that. Andy could manage to take care of her self for a few hours.

Sam was just returning to sleep, when he felt something new added to the pile above him and heard Andy muttering. Now paying more attention to Andy through the blankets, it was pretty clear that something was agitating her. Sam could hear her footsteps on the hardwood floor and the sound of her moving things around the room. She was either looking for something or had decided to redecorate. So much for more sleep.

Sam produced a deep sigh and finally rolled over removing the sheets from his head. Firstly, he was assaulted by the sunlight. He really needed to get better blinds. As he squinted around, he saw that the time was 9:30 and then Sam noticed a pair of jeans and a t-shirt that were now tangled up in the sheets. Finally, he found Andy wrapped in a towel with wet hair, crouching over her duffel bag at the end of the bed. She was in the process of pulling every item out from the bottom of the bag. So much for redecorating.

With the blankets removed, Sam was now able to hear what she was muttering.

"Damn…where are… I thought, where else could they…damn, damn, damn," Andy mumbled, not noticing Sam at all. With the last word, she flipped the bag upside down and shook. The few things that were left in it flew out and Sam watched as Andy rummaged through the new pile.

In defeat, Andy finally stood up. It was then that she noticed Sam now sitting up in bed. He expected her to start with an apology for waking him. He was wrong.

"Have you seen my purse?" she said as she scanned the room again, for what she was searching for. "I mean, did I have my purse with me last night? Or my wallet?"

Andy's pace was frantic and the words rushed together. Sam, who was still a little hazy from waking up, took a moment to find an answer to her questions. Before he could figure out what he was going to say, Andy impatiently continued.

"Sam, it's important," she bent down to pick up the duffel bag again. After confirming, that it was indeed empty, she threw it back onto the floor. The bag landed beside a large pile of its former contents. Andy finally stopped long enough to look at Sam properly. At first, the look on her face showed just how on edge she was. After a moment, she took him in and her face changed, "oh, I'm sorry. I woke you up. I'm terrible, I really am."

"It's okay," Sam mumbled as he rubbed his eyes and really committed to getting up. He felt Andy climb onto the bed and kneel beside him. When he lowered his hands, she tackled him backward into the pillows again, with a huge hug and then added a kiss to the mix.

"No, really, I'm sorry. I was going to let you sleep," she continued after pulling away. Sam could have continued the conversation, but instead he decided to just enjoy the view.

Never missing an opportunity to talk, Andy filled the silence as she sat up again and readjusted the towel she was wearing. "See I had a shower, and I was going to get dressed and go downstairs and make a coffee and sit in that beautiful sunroom."

Andy paused very briefly, and Sam could see her imagining the thought. The dreamy look on her face made him chuckle, and unfortunately this brought her back to reality. She smiled shyly, when she realized he had been watching her and continued.

"But then I went looking for…," Sam missed what she mumbled, lowering her eyes for a moment, "…time to take. They should be in my wallet, but I can't find it. So honestly, have you seen my purse?" Andy finished.

"So let me get this straight," Sam started. "You're not looking for your purse, but the wallet that's inside it?" Sam watched as Andy rolled her eyes and nodded her head. "Ok, and you're really looking for something that's inside your wallet?"

Again she nodded; the pink in her cheeks was getting deeper. Sam continued, "Andy, what exactly are you looking for?"

"Well, it would be nice to know where my wallet is, Sam," Andy sounded exasperated, but he knew there was something she wasn't confessing to.

"Ok, well you didn't have your purse yesterday and the last time I saw your wallet was when you left the undercover apartment, you put it in your coat pocket. Does that help?" he asked. It was clear from the look on her face that it didn't. "And I paid for dinner, so it's possible you left it at work. Maybe in your uniform pants?"

"Damn."

It was clear that this wasn't the answer she had wanted.

"Okay, well when you're ready to tell me what the problem really is, I'll be downstairs drinking a very large pot of coffee." Sam climbed out of bed and walked into the bathroom.

Andy gave a quick glance at Sam's retreating back and hoped he wasn't too annoyed with her. She knew she was being a bit weird and she had woken him up, which she regretted. She had always been more chirper in the morning then Sam. The thing was that this was a new relationship and Andy wasn't sure that she wanted to broach this particular subject yet. Then again, it was kind of important.

As she mulled over the pros and cons in her head and waited for Sam to return, Andy got up and began to get dressed. She pulled on a combination of yesterday's outfit and items that she'd had in her bag. Mostly, she chose the warmest options available. Even with the heat being on all night, the house was still a bit drafty. That's winter in Toronto for you.

As she opened the curtains to let in the rest of the morning light, Sam returned and made his way to his dresser. Andy leaned back onto the window sill watching as he pulled out a pair of socks and then a sweatshirt. She liked the whole informal thing that they'd fallen into so easily. In other relationships, Andy had always dreaded the point where things got too comfortable. She'd always taken it as a sign that she was now truly vulnerable. With Sam, it didn't feel like that, it just felt normal.

As Sam finished pulling the sweater over his head, Andy finally committed, "Okay, so are you ready for some truly _normal_ stuff? When I say normal, I mean completely _mundane_."

"That was the plan, wasn't it?" Sam answered.

"Yeah, but are you really ready?"

"I'm ready," Sam smirked and held out his hand for her. She took it and the conversation continued as they made their way downstairs.

"Okay, so the thing is, because of our job, I never really know when I'll make it home or when we'll end up doing overtime. And well…oh god, this is totally killing the romance…my-birth-control-pills-are-in-my-wallet-so-I-can-always-take-them-at-the-same-time." Andy took a deep breath, after rushing out the last part. She didn't know if she should continue or let Sam say something. Before she could decide, Sam spoke.

"I know."

"What?" Andy looked up in surprise, suddenly forgetting to be embarrassed.

Sam was now filling the coffeemaker with water and chuckled. "I figured that was what you were looking for."

It was her turn to be annoyed. Andy shot Sam a look that could melt ice and then opened the fridge to get the eggs and bacon.

"Come on, Andy. We've spent two years riding around in a car for eight hours nearly every day. You notice the little things eventually. Also, I'm an awesome cop, therefore very observant. So I also know that you usually take them around nine o'clock, because that's when I usually stop and buy us a snack," Sam finished with the coffee and opened a cabinet to get out a frying pan.

Andy shook her head in astonishment and went to sit at the counter. She should have known better. Sam _was_ a great cop, and he was right about them spending a lot of time together. As it turned out, he was also a gentleman. All of a sudden, Andy was pretty sure that nine o'clock snack had only become a routine because Sam had realized she needed a moment to her self.

"Sunny side up?" Sam stirred Andy from her moment of wonderment.

"My favourite, how'd you…never mind."

Sam winked at her and then cracked the egg expertly into the pan.

"So what else, do you know about me?" Andy tempted fate.

"I know that you keep your wallet in your right pant's pocket when you're on duty. That's probably where you forgot it last night," Sam said, as he placed another pan on the stove and began putting bacon strips into it.

"I know," Andy sounded really bummed out, "If it wasn't for the pills, I'd say forget about it for a few days. But if I mess up the dosage…well, it gets kind of messy."

"Don't worry, Andy. I've got a perfect excuse for showing up at the Barn the day after we're suspended. Not even Frank can accuse us of being obsessed with work."

As usual Sam was way ahead of her.

"Is that so?" Andy asked, as he placed a plateful of breakfast onto the counter in front of her.

"Yep," Sam brought over two mugfuls of coffee. He watched as a huge grin broke out on Andy's face and she took a sip. "See I was injured on the job. Do you know how much paperwork that requires? Frank's expecting me at two o'clock. Now, seeing as you're my new girlfriend, no reason you can't tagged along."

"That's perfect," Andy lit up.

"The coffee or the plan?" Sam asked.

"Both."

Sam smiled at the answer and flipped his own egg onto a plate. Then he turned to join her at the counter. After, a minute of eating in silence, Sam began the conversation again.

"You know, Andy…you don't have to worry about sharing…the, uh…'mundane' things with me. That's part of being together."

She smiled and placed her hand on his where it was laying on the counter. Then she lifted her bum off the stool and kissed him on the cheek, "Thanks, I'll try to remember that."

Sam smiled, for what seemed like the billionth time. "So then there's only one more question."

"Oh yeah, it that 'what are we going to do until two o'clock'?"

"Nope. The question is, 'can we dig out the driveway _before_ two o'clock'?"

Remembering the state of the front yard and the fact the truck was wedged in pretty tight, Andy groaned. With hope in her voice, she said, "This is when you tell me you have a super heavy duty snow blower."

"Nope, but I've got two fantastic shovels and a pair of snow pants you can borrow," Sam responded.

"And you call yourself, Canadian…"

"Yes, yes I do."


	6. Recommended

Chapter 6 – Recommended

The doors of 15th Division swung open and with a blast of winter air Andy and Sam walked into the building. As Andy pulled off her hat, she could hear Sam stamping his boots onto the carpet. Although, they'd woken up to clear blue skies it was now snowing again. Andy turned to look out at the street where large snowflakes were beginning to pile up in earnest. If it kept up, there would be no evidence of Sam and Andy digging out the driveway by bedtime.

Surprisingly, Andy wasn't upset in the least by this realization. As it turns out, shovelling the driveway can actually be a lot of fun when you're not in a hurry to get anywhere and you've got good company. After breakfast, the two of them had bundled up and then spent the better part of three hours shovelling. Every minute of it had been a blast.

Sam had started out pretty slow. He was still stiff from sleeping and sore from his injuries, so he found every opportunity to get distracted. This had included several snowball fights. During the first, Andy had been thoroughly wiped out, despite fighting bravely. The second was a sneak attack, which had ended with a large handful of snow down her back after she'd fallen for an innocent kiss. It was totally worth it. The next time, Andy had thrown the first snowball thinking she'd have the element of surprise. No such luck. Sam ended up chasing her around the front lawn chucking snow at her with his shovel until she called a time-out in desperation.

By that point they'd only managed to clear about a third of the drive, but Andy had decided it was time for coffee anyway. After ducking into the house for two steamy mugfuls, she'd been shocked to find Sam had cleared another huge section of the pavement. Not surprisingly, he was much more productive with her gone.

After enjoying their coffee for about ten minutes, they'd gone back to shovelling. This time it didn't take them too long to finish. When they'd piled the last shovelful on top of the snow bank, they'd looked at each other grinning proudly. That's when Andy had taken her chance for revenge, dropped her shovel and tackled Sam into the closest pile. Although, he'd let out a huge groan, Andy knew he was faking it. She was proven right, when the next thing she'd heard was Sam break down into laughter. And it wasn't his usual sarcastic chuckle, but deep breaths of real amusement.

Pleased with her victory, Andy had proceeded to make snow angels, feeling like a kid again. She didn't stop playing until Sam pulled them both up out of the snow and back into the house. It was only then that they realized how long they'd been outside. Andy didn't regret one moment of it and she doubted that Sam did either. After that they'd gotten ready to leave for the Barn. Sam had wanted to go out for lunch, but it was going to have to wait until he was done with Best, or they'd be late.

As it turned out they were cutting it pretty close. Luckily, Andy felt that this arrangement was pretty much ideal. The least amount of time they spent here today, the happier she'd be. Last night at the Penny may have subdued some of her fears, but this felt like a completely different situation.

"Go," Sam said, snapping Andy out of her thoughts, both good and bad.

When she turned to look at him, Andy had a perplexed look on her face, "What?"

"You have my permission to hide, McNally," Sam smiled at her warmly. The morning had been awesome, but Sam could see the fear creeping in around the edges of Andy's happiness. Sam figured this was probably the last place she wanted to be today. In all truthfulness, he kind of understood where she was coming from. He was happy to give her an out.

"OK?" Andy sounded unsure, and Sam watched as she looked down at her hands and began inspecting them. Sam was certain that Andy had understood what he meant, but that didn't stop her from over thinking the offer of freedom. Knowing her, Sam was certain she was trying to calculate how horrible she'd be for abandoning him.

"Look Andy, I'm a grown man and I can take care of myself. So go. Save yourself. I'll come find you when I'm finished with Frank."

With that, Andy peeled away from Sam's side and headed in the direction of the locker rooms. Although, he'd told her to go, Sam was sad to see her walking away. He was about to start heading in the opposite direction, when Andy suddenly turned back to look at him. She smiled, winked and then proceeded to walked backwards into the wall. Man, she was awesome. Andy recovered awkwardly, shrugged her shoulders as if to say 'What're goin' do?' and then disappeared around the corner. She was also weirdly perfect.

With a happy sigh Sam started in the direction of the Best's office. It wasn't until he was walking through the division's main offices that Sam noticed how quiet the building was today. Although, there were a few officers doing paperwork, most of the desks were empty. At the front desk there was the usual officer, but nobody else was hanging around looking for files or chatting. Finally, as Sam headed up the staircase he got a good look through the glass into detective's office. Even it was pretty empty and the suits loved hanging around the office.

Sam's arrival went unnoticed by anyone. Except for Frank who was standing outside his office, hands on the railing, waiting for Sam to make it across the room. The good news was he looked a little less angry then yesterday. A very little.

"Hey Boss," Sam smiled, "Quiet today. Isn't it?"

"Snow makes people do crazy things. So everyone's out keeping the crazy to a minimum," Frank answered, as he opened the door to his office and indicated for Sam to enter first.

Sam's only response was a chuckle as he sat down.

As Frank followed him in and sat in his own chair, he continued the conversation, "How are you feeling, Sam?"

"Like I got beaten up, kidnapped and tortured," Sam smiled, "But seriously, pretty good considering."

Sam could tell from the look on Frank's face, that the Boss part of him was not amused, but that other part, the friend part, might have smiled under other circumstances. It was clear that Frank didn't quite know what to do with Sam yet. It would probably be a little easier if Sam was a bit more repentant. Unfortunately, he wasn't and he didn't think lying about it was going to get him anywhere.

Frank stared him down for a moment before answering, "That's good. So I need you to fill out some paperwork. It's not as bad as it looks, Sam"

The pile on the table in front of them was a few inches thick and Sam had scowled when Frank started to shuffle through it.

"Whatever, you say, Boss." Sam was pretty certain Frank was lying.

Frank rolled his eyes, "Suck it up, Princess."

Sam grinned at Frank's dry humour, "Yes, Sir!"

The next fifteen minutes was spent signing stuff. Mostly, it was doctor's reports and his statements from the night before. There were a few papers regarding his undercover assignment. Everything went smoothly until they got to the last paper in the pile.

"Ok, one more, Sam," Frank flipped the page and slide the file back toward him. However, something in Frank's tone made Sam glance up.

Frank was already looking at him and he held Sam's gaze for a moment before speaking again.

"You better read this carefully, Swarek."

Sam narrowed his eyes before looking at the title on the document, 'Report of Law Enforcement Officer's Suspension'. So far, no surprises. For a while Sam read, still there was nothing he hadn't expected. The form started with all his personal details and then began to list the details of his suspension including 'three weeks with pay' and 'return to duty after full investigation'. It wasn't until he got down to a section entitled, 'Specific Considerations & Commanding Officers Recommendations' that Sam understood why Frank had saved it for last. Under this heading Frank has added one sentence.

"It would be in the best interest of Officer Swarek's career, not to socialize with Officer McNally until the conclusion of the suspension and investigation," Sam read aloud, trying not to get angry. It wasn't working. "What the hell, Frank?"

"Come on, Sam. You can't really be surprised. McNally's report says exactly the same thing. You're under investigation. Both of you screwed up," Frank was growing irritated, "A fact, you seem totally willing to ignore!"

"Trust me, that part I remember!" It was clear this conversation wasn't going well.

"Sam, look…" Frank started, but was interrupted.

"No Frank, you look. I did something extremely stupid! Trust me, I know. I know because, I put Andy at risk and I would've never forgiven myself if she wasn't okay. But you and I both know at this point, it wasn't her fault that Brennan knew I was cop. You're barking up the wrong tree. And I'm not going to get bitten yet again for Boyd's mistake!"

Sam leaned back and crossed his arms stubbornly. He watched as Frank sighed and looked at him. It was a moment before he spoke.

"I do know that, Sam and I'm going to pursue this issue until it's clear to everyone else that Boyd didn't do his due diligence. But until then, it's best for your careers if you and Andy keep a respectful distance from each other. And then after it's all cleared up, you can continue your…whatever the heck you're calling it."

Sam just stared stubbornly for a moment. Finally he added, "I'm not signing this, and neither will Andy." He raised his eyebrows in challenge.

Frank sighed again. "Well, that's where you're wrong. She signed it last night, Sam."

Sam laughed in disbelief, "No, she didn't."

Frank just leaned back in his chair to mirror Sam and nodded his head firmly.

"But…" Sam started, when they were both distracted by the door opening behind him.

"Sam, I lost it. It's gone. Poof! Gone! What-am-I-going-to-do-now?" Andy's voice came from behind him.

Turning around, Sam found Andy standing in the doorway, in a full-on panic. In one hand she had her wallet, keys and cell phone. In the other was a bunch of papers, which Sam didn't recognize. He had no idea what she'd 'lost'. He was about to ask her to clarify when Frank spoke first.

"McNally, what are _you_ doing _here_?"

Not missing a beat, Andy answered, "I forgot my wallet."

Sam was more then a little lost. There was a lot going on. Andy was upset, and Frank was totally annoyed with them both. And he was kind of annoyed with Andy for signing the suspension papers the night before. What the hell did that mean? He wasn't exactly sure where to start. Figuring that it was probably a good idea to get them out of Frank's office as soon as possible, he started with the suspension.

"Andy, why did you agree not to see me for three weeks?" Sam tried desperately to sound calm.

At first the only response Sam got was a confused look. She was obviously trying to figure out what he meant. So Sam took the paper off the desk and held it up for Andy to inspect, hoping it would jog her memory. It obviously did as Andy's cheeks quickly turned red and understanding dawned across her face. Then she smiled guiltily.

"Well I…it was…you see, I just…" she stuttered out at first. What she eventually landed on was, "It was only a recommendation."

At that, Sam was no longer annoyed. Count on Andy to get straight to the heart of the matter without realizing. It was just a recommendation. Frank was looking out for their careers because that was his job. However, it was for them to decide which was more important, their relationship or their jobs. Obviously, Andy had made her decision last night, when she'd gotten into the truck.

While Sam was left with another huge smile, Frank's reaction was a little different. Sam watched as their boss threw his hands up in the air out of sheer frustration.

"Fine, I give up!" Frank exhaled. "Do what you want. As long as you realize that my _official recommendation_ was for a temporary separation. Understand?"

They both nodded and Frank continued, "Good. Sign the paper, Swarek. Then the both of you can get out of my office and my division for three weeks. Do you hear me? I don't want to see you for three weeks."

Sam signed his name one final time and laid the pen down on the desk, "Bye, Frank."

"See you in three weeks," Andy piped in.

The door had almost closed behind them when Best called, "Swarek? McNally?"

Sam stepped back into the doorway to keep the door from closing, "Yeah Boss?"

"You might not be serving and protecting for the next three weeks, but still…try not to screw up. Okay?"

Sam could feel Andy nodding silently beside him and he said, "Don't worry Boss; we plan on being normal for awhile."

With that he let the door close and they started to walk across the empty offices.

It wasn't until they had made it around the first corner that Sam stopped Andy and kissed her. Really kissed her. For a long time. It felt awkward and awesome and weirdly perfect, all at the same time. It was great as usual, and he was pretty sure he would never get tired of kissing her. She had a hold on him that neither of them would probably ever understand, but he could live with that if it meant they could kiss like this everyday. Also, he would pick her over his career any day, which was insane, but again not a problem.

It wasn't until the papers in Andy's hand scrapped against his forearm, that Sam remembered Andy had entered Frank's office in a fluster. Gently he pulled away. Seeing the smile on her face, it was clear that Andy had also forgotten. It was good that she had calmed down; perhaps they could talk about whatever it was rationally.

"Andy, what did you lose? I didn't understand what you meant."

"Oh…yeah" Andy looked down at the things in her hands remembering, "Um…I…Well, it's the condo. I lost the condo."

"What happened?" Sam asked gently as they naturally started to walk toward the parking lot.

"I never made it to the bank. With all that happened… I never signed the mortgage papers. The deal expired last night and no mortgage means that I didn't meet the conditions of the sale." Andy sounded calm, but it was clear she was also upset.

Sam took the papers from her and replaced them with his hand. He gave her fingers a squeeze, "You could try asking them to extend the deal. It was extreme circumstances."

"No," was Andy's only answer at first, she had faded off into her own thoughts for a moment. It was only when Sam gave her fingers another squeeze that she continued, "My real estate agent, left me like a billion messages over the last two days. Most of them are panicked. Anyway, the last one says that they sold the condo this morning to a couple from Ajax. So that's that."

They had reached the doors, but they stopped before going into the snowstorm. Sam looked at his new girlfriend with her sad brown eyes and his heart ached. Man, he was such a sap when it came to her.

"I'm sorry, Andy," was all he could think to say and he gave her a big bear hug, eventually lifting her feet off the floor. He was happily surprised to hear her laugh into his coat a few moments later.

"Okay, down," she demanded and he complied. Andy was smiling, but she sighed anyway. "Well, I'm officially homeless, Sam."

He looked down at her in surprise, "Now, you're officially homeless? You've been living at Traci's for weeks."

"I know, but that was different," Andy looked up to see that Sam was unconvinced by this argument. "Well, it was. I don't know. I chose it before."

"What do you mean?" Sam asked.

"Well, I knew that leaving Luke meant having no home. Despite that, the best thing was to leave. I just figured I would work it out. But since then I've only managed to live on my best friend's couch for months and then NOT get a condo. Basically, I tried and I failed. So now…now I'm homeless."

Sam tried not to laugh, but he failed, "Well, don't lose hope yet. I'm sure there's a house out there for you. Or maybe an apartment. Or even a hotel room perhaps. If you're really desperate, you could get a cottage."

"You're hilarious," Andy's tone stated otherwise. "I know that it will work out, but can't you give me a little bit of pity anyway."

"Andy, I will not pity you. And although you do have my sympathy, I'm just happy the only thing we lost yesterday was your condo."

"True enough," she sighed. After a pause, she continued, "I'm hungry."

"Me too. Let's go, have you got everything?" Sam asked and watched Andy nod as she pulled the door open.

Both of them thought that they had seen the last of the Barn for the next three weeks, when they heard their names being called, "Sam. Andy."

When they turned, they found Jerry rushing down the empty hall so he could catch them.

"Hey, Jerry. What's up?" Sam asked.

"Um…well, I'm not sure how this is going to go over, but umm…" He spent a moment glancing between them before finally landing on Andy. "How would you feel about talking to Jamie Brennan before you go?"


	7. Brennan: Part 1

Chapter 7 – Brennan: Part 1

"Sam, she's a great cop! That's _your_ line, remember?" Jerry threw his arms out in exasperation. "I need her, buddy."

"Find another way, Jer. You're smart, you'll figure it out," Sam replied with a few hand waves of his own.

"Okay, enough," Andy said, squeezing past the two men back into the hallway and finally letting the door close behind her. She'd spent five minutes listening to Sam and Jerry argue. It was clear that they both had a different opinion on the subject.

Jerry had explained that he'd spent the morning interviewing Brennan, who'd been talking pretty freely until "someone had reminded him of 'Candace'". This apparently was "a big mistake" since Brennan had refused to continue until he talked to Candace in person. Jerry didn't think this was a very good idea, but the interrogation had come to a dead stop. Eventually seeing no alternative, he'd gone to Boyd, thinking that the boss would never approve. Instead, Boyd had only sighed and told him that Sam and Andy had just left. So Jerry'd chased them down to discuss it. In short, Jerry was stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Then there was Sam. His position was pretty uncomplicated. "No."

As for Andy, she wasn't sure what she thought. Sam and Jerry both had valid points. On one hand, she was already suspended and pushing her luck, as it was. Talking to Brennan probably wasn't the best for her career. On the other, she was a police officer, who talked to criminals all the time. This wasn't any different: talk to the bad guy and get the confession. Pretty simple.

After taking a moment to collect her self, Andy turned around to face Sam and Jerry, who were both quietly waiting for her to continue.

"You know what? I don't know," Andy shrugged. "I'm a little dazed. You both have points. But I'm hungry and kind of cold, not to mention I could use a coffee. So I just don't know."

She watched as both men absorbed her words. Jerry rocked back onto his heels and placed his hands into his pockets, nodding. Sam sighed, and his shoulders visibly relaxed.

"Fair enough," Sam said, sounding satisfied.

"I didn't mean to rush you, McNally," Jerry added, looking guilty. "Plus, it's up to you. You decide."

* * *

><p>Forty minutes later, they had all relocated to the detectives' office and Andy had finished eating a rather good BLT from the Black Penny. She leaned back in the desk chair and drained the remains of her coffee. Sam had made feeding her a priority and thankfully she now felt a lot more level headed.<p>

The debate about Brennan was now in full swing, again. Except now it was more of a discussion then an argument. They'd also been joined by a few extra people, who were also adding their two cents. In fact, the only one that was still holding back an opinion was her and Andy could tell that it was quickly eating away at Sam's calm.

"It seems logical to me," Dov his brow knit in thought, "I mean, we need a confession, and Brennan won't keep talking 'til he sees Andy, ergo Andy talks to Brennan. Boom Badda-Bing! It's easy."

"Yeah, Epstein, the fact that Brennan kidnapped and tortured the guy Andy was sleeping with – in blatant disregard for regulations, I _might_ add… but won't…" Shaw paused, taking a bit of his own sandwich and then continued through the mouthful, "Anyway, none of that complicates things _at all_."

To conclude Oliver rolled his eyes and smacked Dov's arm. To which Dov responded, "Ow."

"Okay, new rule. Nobody and I mean nobody, gets to talk about our sex life…ever," Sam put in, dead serious.

Andy cringed a little internally. Although, she agreed with the sentiment, it was more then a little awkward hearing Sam say it out loud…at work. She held her breath a moment hoping the others would let it pass without comment. Jerry, Dov and Oliver all nodded in their own ways and said nothing. However, the last person in the room was less kind.

"Well maybe, you should have thought about that before 'compromising' your assignment," Luke said from the corner of the room, where he was sitting on the desk, completely unwelcome, but still there.

If he had left it at that, Andy might have kept silent. However Luke was an idiot, "You know, Swarek. Most people keep their sex lives out of the workplace." He finished with a smug dry laugh that pushed Andy over the edge.

She looked over and met Luke's eyes, "You know, Callaghan, you should try that sometime."

For a short moment, they continued to stare each other down, until Luke finally broke her gaze, pushed off the desk and headed out of the room with very little dignity left.

"Go, McNally!" Shaw cheered.

"I was about to defend your honour," Dov added, "but you had it in hand."

Andy ignored them and looked at Sam. She was starting to think she knew him too well, because she could tell exactly what he was thinking. He was sorry for bringing sex up with Callaghan was in the room, proud of her for standing up for her self and still anxious about the whole Brennan situation.

"Okay," Jerry piped up, "could we please get back on topic? It would be nice to make a decision sometime today."

Andy was glad that the conversation had been redirected. It was time to make a decision. She stood up, and walked over to the white board where Brennan's face along with his details where still displayed from the day before.

"Okay, here's what a think," she started, turning back toward them, "you all have a point. It's complicated, confusing and little risky. Except that it's not." Andy put up her hand, when Sam started to interrupt, "No, listen. I may be a _suspended_ cop, but I'm still a cop. This is what I do." Andy walked over to the door and then turned to add, "Plus, the idea of talking to him in a secure interview room, with lots more cops ten feet away, really isn't that scary."

Andy could tell that with this last thought, she'd finally eased Sam's worry a little. A very little.

Sam stood and asked, "You sure?"

"Yup."

"Okay."

* * *

><p>It was another few minutes before they'd arranged for Brennan to be brought back to the interview room.<p>

Andy found her self waiting in the hallway, while Jerry prepared Brennan. When she'd made her decision in the office she hadn't been nervous, but now she paced slowly down the hall picking at her fingernails. Sam was close-by leaning against the wall. She could feel him watching her, but he didn't interrupt. However, every time she lifted her eyes off the floor and looked at him, he returned her gaze and smiled encouragingly.

Finally, she broke into the silence, "You're not going to try and change my mind?"

"Do you want me to?"

"No, not really," Andy contemplated for a moment. "It's only been two days since I talked to him, but it feels like forever."

"A lot's happened."

Andy stopped to look at him, again, "I'll be okay, right?"

At that he walked over and hugged her, "Of course, you will be okay. You're Andy McNally, one of the toughest cops I know. You'll be fine."

If any other cop had told her that she wouldn't have believed them, but she believed Sam.

It was then that the door opened and Jerry stepped into the hall, closing the door behind him.

"Andy, we have a problem," Jerry started.

"What is it?" Andy pulled away from Sam to face the problem head on.

"He doesn't want anyone else in the room," Jerry sounded defeated.

He probably realized that this was going to be a deal breaker for Sam. They had decided earlier that it was best if Jerry stayed in the room during the interview, since Brennan had not been forthcoming with his reasons for seeing Andy. Now, that wasn't going to be an option.

"What's the difference?" Sam asked, trying to stay calm. "You're just going to be on the other side of the glass, with a ton of other people."

Sam was right, the logic didn't make sense. Not only were Jerry and Sam going to hear the interview, but also an entire group of people that had collected in the observation room. Plus, as usual it would be recorded for posterity. Nothing Brennan said would be a secret. Absolutely nothing.

Andy took a deep breath and addressed Jerry, "He's cuffed, right?"

"Yup."

"You double checked?"

"Triple checked."

"And you searched him?"

"Thoroughly."

"Okay, let's do this," Andy proclaimed, "Unless you've decided to try and change my mind after all?"

Sam took a breath of his own and said, "I'd try, but you're too stubborn."

At that, Andy had to laugh despite the knots in her stomach.

She waited a moment while the two men left her, entering the observation room next door, which was already quite full. Andy didn't mind though, she had learned a long time ago, it was best to ignore all the people on the other side of the glass. They just made her more nervous and threw off even the simplest interviews. If she needed them they'd be there, otherwise as far as she was concerned, they didn't exist.

As soon as she entered the room, there would only be two people, her and Jamie Brennan. As she placed her hand on the silver knob it wasn't nerves that she felt; instead it was a hot stab of anger that rose up in her belly. Although, she was surprised, Andy took a steadying breath and re-centred her self. There was no place for anger in this room.

_A/N: Thanks for reading. Hopefully, Part 2 will only be a couple more days. I already know what I want to say just need to get it down on paper. _


	8. Brennan: Part 2

Chapter 8 – Brennan: Part 2

The door clicked closed behind Andy and there they were.

Jamie Brennan sat at the interview table like any other criminal. His hands were laid out in front of him cuffed through a ring on the tabletop. Jerry hadn't spared any precaution. He watched her as she took a seat with her back to the mirror. The look he gave was piercing and seemed to Andy to connect them in a strange way. Instead of sitting in silence for God knows how long, Andy decided to begin the conversation.

"Hello, Jamie."

"Hello…'Candace'. How are you, today?"

Andy could hear the sarcasm thick in his voice when Brennan emphasized the name. Admittedly, it put her on edge, but she wasn't about to show it. Instead, Andy kept up the pretence of polite conversation continuing, "Fine, thank you. And you?"

"Been better…" Brennan smiled and shrugged half heartedly "Been worse."

Andy decided to stay silent waiting for Brennan to continue on his own. She figured it would go better if she let him lead the conversation. He'd been the one to ask for the meeting; clearly he had something to say. Luckily, it wasn't long until he continued.

"So _Candace_, tell me about your self?" Again the emphasis was on the name, the question trailing absently behind. It was clear to Andy what he really wanted to know. Andy couldn't help her self; she sighed in frustration and felt her shoulders square in defiance.

Clearly annoyed Andy spoke, "We've played this game. I'm not in the mood to play again."

She watched as Brennan raised his eyebrows in question, "What do you mean?"

Andy tried to centre her self again before she replied, "Look if all you want to know is my name, you can ask Detective Barber."

"Oh, I asked him. He skirted around the topic…mentioned you as little as possible. I think he was hoping I'd forget about you," Jamie paused, as if considering the long interview he'd had with Jerry that morning. Breaking from thought he added, "But then I don't think he realized you were there last night when they arrested me."

"No, he probably didn't," Andy replied. Her matter of fact response didn't seem to bother Brennan, who kept the conversation going.

"But you were there. In your uniform. And I have to say, _Candace_, I was surprised… and it's difficult to surprise me."

The emphasis was less this time, but it was still there. "Andy."

"Pardon?" he answered, Brennan seemed genuinely perplexed. It was clear he'd forgotten about her identity for the moment. At least consciously.

"My name is Andy McNally," she clarified.

There was a short pause, Andy watched as the man across the table analysed the new information, the wheels turning. Andy suddenly had a hunch and the only way to verify it was to blurt it out. So she took the risk.

"You never made me, did you?" despite trying she couldn't keep the pleasure out of her voice.

Jaime chuckled wholeheartedly, completely changing the mood in the room. The tension between them lessened and Andy could feel her nervousness slip away slightly. Just as quickly though the laughter stopped and Brennan answered her question.

"Nope. I didn't, Andy. You lied to me, and I bought it," his voice was firm and it felt to Andy as if Jamie was telling her an absolute truth. As if it was a fact that could never be and yet it was.

As she mulled this over, he continued, "I thought for certain that you were Candace from Wisconsin, who loved football and was just falling for the wrong guy. There wasn't a doubt in my mind… and that _never_ happens. So, I'm curious. What was real?"

The only thing Andy could think to ask was, "Why?"

"I honestly don't know, Andy. You fooled me, and I want to know how. I want to know my weakness. For some reason it's the one last loose end."

At that, Andy took a moment to look at him. Jamie Brennan. Criminal and murderer. Husband and father. Terrible and broken. How could he not know his weakness? It seemed so obvious to her.

"I don't know if I want to tell you. I don't owe you anything. I did my job…" Andy paused, she wasn't sure she should continue her thought, but she went on, "…mostly. Look, I'm a cop, I catch the criminals. I don't explain _why_ I catch them."

"What does it matter, Andy? You tell me a bit about yourself, and then I'll finish telling the detectives about all the horrible things I've done in my life. After that, they'll put me behind bars until the end. So what do you have to lose?"

Andy didn't answer and it was a moment before Brennan spoke again.

"Please, Andy. I don't know where I screwed up…this time."

Andy sighed automatically and spoke, "Ok…fine. Tell me what you already know."

"I told you, Barber wouldn't say anything about you."

"Fine, but what about Sa…" Andy redirected her self, "…J.D.? What did he tell you about J.D.?"

Brennan grinned, "Officer Sam Swarek. An undercover cop, trying to nail me with my past misdeeds. Other then that… not much. Though I have my suspicions about you two."

"And what would that be, Jamie?" Andy rolled her and the annoyance clear in her tone.

"Well, Officer Swarek may have been undercover…but I have my doubts about you, Andy McNally. Either way, things obviously didn't go as planned. Perhaps someone's been a little bit reckless; perhaps someone's in trouble… other then me that is."

"Perhaps," was Andy's only answer. She watched as Jamie waited for more, but kept silent.

Finally, Brennan continued, "Perhaps, you put love first," as an afterthought he added, "I did that once…"

His quiet addition allowed Andy to shake off her annoyance and move on. "You're right. It was Sam's job. I wasn't supposed to know where he was. I found you at the bar by accident that night. I was on a training activity. Anyway, long story short I should have gone home, but I didn't."

Brennan smiled mischievously and said, "You'd do it all again. Wouldn't you?"

Andy thought for a moment, "No, I would have done things differently. But it's a long story."

"I've got time."

"I know you do, but I don't have twenty to life to mull it over with you," Andy retorted, "So you'll be getting the highlights. And then I'm going home to have dinner and forget about you."

"I hate to break it to you," Brennan answered slowly, "but you'll probably never forget about me."

Andy looked at him and thought for a moment before she answered. It didn't seem like a threat he did not mean to be malicious. For Brennan it was just another fact in this strange story they shared.

Eventually Andy answered, "I know… but that wasn't my point."

Brennan nodded slowly to himself, "So what are the 'highlights' then?"

"Honestly, I don't know," Andy sighed, "I don't know how to tell this story. I don't know what you want to hear."

Again, Jamie chuckled, breaking the building tension. "You and I really aren't getting anywhere fast. Are we?"

"No"

"No," he echoed.

What followed was a long pause. The two of them just staring at each other calmly. For the first time since entering the room, Andy considered the crowd outside the room listening. She wondered if they were making more sense of this conversation then her. For Andy, she felt a little bit like she was wading through two feet of mud, a destination in mind, but not entirely sure how she was going to get there. What were the others thinking? What was Sam thinking?

As soon as she thought of Sam, she shook the question off and refocused her attention on Brennan.

"You wanted to know how I fooled you," she began, "I guess…well you see the thing is, most of what I told you in the car was true. It's the best way to keep things seemingly real… to not get lost in the lie."

"Bend the truth gently so it doesn't break," Jamie stated.

"More or less."

"Your Dad?"

"Alcoholic," Andy answered, "Ex-cop, actually. I think I might have skipped that part."

Brennan smirked. "Your mom?"

"Oh she definitely left, ran out the door. Long time ago."

"And Mr. Nice-Guy? What about him?"

Andy was somewhat perturbed to find out Brennan had such a good memory. She paused, reluctant.

"He's a detective actually," Andy sighed, "And yes he cheated on me… with his ex-girlfriend, actually. Also a detective…who we work with. And that's that sordid story."

"Betcha it was that Colman…or Culligan…eh?" Brennan said, taking Andy by surprise, "I didn't like him. I was glad when Barber showed up, much smarter man."

Andy found her self biting her lip slightly, so she wouldn't smile or respond. It didn't matter because Brennan continued without noticing.

"Now here's the most important one…football?" he asked, "because you sure did talk my ear off about it."

Andy couldn't help her self; she smiled and said, "One of my boyfriends in high school played. It was his obsession. He would bore me constantly with rules and regulations and names of his favourite plays. So, you know… I understand it…but I never really liked it."

"And if I'd decided to talk about hockey….or maybe basketball?" Jamie continued.

"Seriously?" Andy returned.

Brennan's only response was to stare back.

"Okay, well…hockey is easy…my dad and I watched every Saturday. And well, I used to play basketball when I was a kid. I don't know much about the NBA, but I know the rules. I only have one opinion when it comes to baseball…those guys are smokin' hot. So you might have caught me there."

Andy hadn't really intended to be funny, but Brennan smirked again and then continued the conversation.

"Perhaps, but I doubt it," he said. "I think you're very good at adapting. You think fast… as they say."

"I guess," was her half-hearted response. "Is that enough? Are we done yet? I fooled you with the truth. The sad pathetic truth."

"No, we're not done. You haven't told me about Sam…and what you would have done differently."

Andy was a little peeved about him bringing them back around to that. She couldn't help her self. Any attempt to look like a professional cop went out the window as she slumped down into the chair and covered her face with one hand. Andy could feel her cheeks warming up too. 'I'm such a child,' she thought.

"Oh, don't look so annoyed with me!" Brennan exclaimed after watching her. He leaned in and continued, "Look…you tell me about Sam and I'll be done. Promise. And remember, I agreed to the highlights."

Andy removed her hands from her face and stared at him again. She sized him up once more. She wanted to feel anger when she looked at him, but for some reason it had faded quickly. She found that other things were replacing it. She even had to admit that a part of her…a very small part… pitied Jaime Brennan. This man, who'd tried to change and failed miserably. Worst of all, he'd taken two innocent lives back down with him. And now he had to live with that guilt. That was a Tragedy.

But what he was asking for now was a Romance…a very personal romance. A complicated romance. And Andy was hesitant to give it to him. It was her and Sam's story. Not Jaime Brennan's; not anyone else's either.

In the end, it was the guilt that she saw in his eyes that made up her mind. Here was a man that had enough to mull over in the many years that would follow this moment. Andy didn't want to be another of his unanswered questions.

She pulled her body back up in the chair and folded her arms on the table. "Okay, no interruption," she started, "Got it?"

Across from her Brennan nodded. 'Okay now where to start Andy?'


	9. Brennan: Part 3

Chapter 9 – Brennan: Part 3

She pulled her body back up in the chair and folded her arms on the table. "Okay, no interruption," she started, "Got it?"

Across from her Brennan nodded. 'Okay now where to start Andy?'

"Well, two years ago, I showed up for my first day of work and well basically… I arrested him. See, he was undercover… he likes being undercover. Anyway, that's how we met. I chased him out a window, tackled him in an alley and totally blew his cover… well debatably. Needless to say that was not a very good first impression and that day I spent the better part of two hours getting yelled at, mostly by Sam. It all worked out in the end though… we found the kid, I didn't get shot and nobody decided to fire me."

Andy watched as Brennan raised an eyebrow at her mention of getting shot, but Andy ploughed on… these were the highlights, not her memoirs.

"So the next time I see Sam, he's back in uniform. And I'm still not his favourite person. Which… you know…makes sense. But the powers that be decide it'll be hilarious if we ride together. So now he's my T.O. and we're stuck in a car. So that day, there's a lot less yelling, but a lot more lecturing. And I spent most of my time running around like an idiot and sticking my neck out a little too far. But in the end… I didn't get shot and I understood Sam a whole lot better. I got a chance to see what kind of cop he is… what kind of man… Anyway,_ that night_ I should have done something differently, because I already knew. But I didn't, instead I put my career first. And he pretended to understand.

So for the next few months we ride together. He's still lecturing and I'm still learning. I screwed up a few more times and he's yelled some more too… only because he cared. But I didn't get shot and in between all the excitement we're getting to know each other better. I talk constantly, and he mostly listens unless I make him say something. Which _always_ annoys him and gets me into more trouble then its worth. But now we're partners and Sam only occasionally reminds me about my first day.

Meanwhile, I've started a relationship with someone else. Mr. Nice-Guy. A few dates here and there. It's going okay… besides a few freak outs on my part… I've never done well with commitment… mother issues… you know? Then I kind of really put my foot in it. But in the end, Nice-Guy forgives me… and I think I know why… but I keep my mouth shut even though I little voice in the very, very… very back of my head is starting to have doubts.

Well…then I shot somebody. And, as a cop… that has an effect. Honestly, I was shaken to my core, but I was still trying to keep it together. And he was there, he knew… me. Sam knew me. And well, Luke was more taken with the serial abductor, then me that night. And the lights were out, it was a different world and I felt broken and alone. Except I knew he'd be there. I knew. So I went and afterward I convinced myself it was a mistake… but it wasn't. The mistake was leaving when the lights came on. But I felt guilty… I felt really, really guilty."

Until know Andy had been trying to keep the story brief and as glib as possible. However, after recounting the night of the blackout Andy felt her self slip a little bit deeper into the story. It felt strangely good to hear it all together. Everything she'd done and said and ignored out in the open. One word after another even if it was a murderer who was quietly listening to her on the other side of the table. For a moment did she considered speeding along to recent events, but somehow that would be cheating.

After a brief pause, she continued, "So, that night kind of broke Sam's heart. Though he would never admit that… not in a million years. And he was angry with me. Which I deserved. So it took a while for me to convince him that we could still be friends. Though that a complete farce… and I knew it. Well…a part of me knew it. But Sam's my partner and I didn't want to loose him. I trusted him. And it's amazing what being stuck in a car for eight hours a day will do for any relationship. So we both pretended it never happened while we both wished it had. And we continued on like that. And it was okay. We did our job.

Meanwhile, Luke was oblivious. A few months went by and he ended up asking me to move in with him. New house, really nice. And I figured sure…take the leap of faith. Even I, Andy McNally, could be part of a responsible adult relationship. Of course those things don't actually exist, but oh well.

I did almost change my mind though…Sam almost got shot. Actually, I almost got shot that night, too. You would never guess, but we were undercover. And it almost blew up in our faces. I thought for some really horrible minutes that he was dead. So when I saw him, I really wanted to…but I didn't."

For the first time Jaime interrupted her. "How long was that?" he asked.

Andy wasn't annoyed. She just answered, "About a year."

"Were you scared?" he asked.

Andy didn't answer him. Instead she picked up speed with her story. "So I moved in with Luke and it was good. I felt good. I settled in and committed. I was happy. And at work, Sam and I were good. Partners.

And then I got shot. Here," Andy touched her chest where the bullet had hit her all those months ago. "Yeah, here. In the vest, but it hurt. I wouldn't recommend it. Took my breath away, literally. Actually, it took the whole world away. Except for Sam. I couldn't hear him, but he was there. And I was lucky. The second bullet took a girl's life away."

Andy paused, but after a moment she shook her head and continued. "So yeah, over the next few months we were just partners. We did our jobs. And he was always there when I needed him. Stuff happened. Then I got engaged. Because I'm an idiot. You see, Jaime, I found the ring. I found the ring in the lock box, so Mr. Nice-Guy proposed. I was an idiot… but the worst part was the look on Sam's face when he found out. But I didn't change my mind. A few months later, it all went to hell and I was left having to admit that I should have seen it coming. I felt like a fool."

"We all are…" Jaime added softly.

Andy didn't pay his comment much attention and instead ploughed on, "But Sam was still there. I kind of shut down for awhile, and then I started to snap back to reality. Mostly thanks to Sam. But you see, to get it all together, I decided I needed a plan. And I think as far as Sam could tell, he wasn't included in that plan. So he…well…I honestly, don't think he gave up on me. But he decided to take an opportunity when it came his way. He'd been waiting two years to go back undercover, and he warned me he was going. But then…POOF! He was gone. And I felt like a fool."

With that Andy stopped talking. A silence invaded the room and it was a moment before Brennan realized she had finished.

"So he went undercover at my business, and a few months later you accidentally bumped into him at the Alpine Inn," Brennan said, connecting her story with what he had already known.

"Yep."

When she didn't continue. Brennan spoke again, "And then Candace finally let herself love a man like J.D."

"Yep."

Jaime Brennan let the silence fill the room again. Andy could feel the beginning of hot tears in the corners of her eyes. After telling Sam and her story like that, she wasn't so sure it was a Romance anymore. Perhaps, her story was a Tragedy in its own way. What had she been thinking? So many opportunities lost and so many of her doubts ignored. She could see all the times in the past twos year when she'd had the opportunity to change the direction of her life.

"You know what the worst part of that story is?" Andy asked, but she didn't wait for an answer. "Everyone knew he loved me. Everyone. They watched Sam and me together and they knew. And I knew when they thought 'it's so sad she's doesn't see'. But I did see. I knew. I rode in the same car with him for two years. Of course, I knew. Worst than that, I felt the same, in my own way! I was just scared. I put my career first."

"You said that earlier," Brennan put in, "at the beginning, after you said you would have done it differently. What did you mean exactly?"

"Everything and nothing," Andy responded, little unsure if she should keep this going any longer.

"Andy…" Brennan almost scolded, but when he continued his voice had normalized. "It's my last question."

Andy sighed one last time. "After that first day that we rode together. We had both figured each other out a little. And well… we were in the parking lot… at the bar… after work…and I…he… uhh…we. We could have kissed. But I told him no. I was a rookie. He was my T.O. and told him no. I watched him brush it off like he didn't mind. But after that, we got so good at pretending. I even fooled myself for a while."

"Undercover."

"Exactly," Andy said. "Well anyway, long story short. I should have kissed him. I wish he'd kissed me… if only we had kissed. It would have been different."

"Maybe not better," Brennan put in.

Andy could tell by looking that Brennan's thoughts had turned back to his own tragedy.

"Perhaps," Andy started, "You know, Jaime, you wanted to know where you'd gone wrong this time."

"I did," stated Brennan. He was still lost in his own memories.

"Well, except for the obvious, I don't think you did. I just mean. Well, I found you last night, because you told me about your family. About how you loved them and how you wanted to be better for them," Andy paused, "But that information, also let me and my colleagues find the man that killed your wife and daughter."

The silence hung in the room again. Brennan had his head down now. He was lost in consideration and guilt. The guilt would rack him for as long as it mattered. As Andy watched, she realized they were done. It had been an admittedly strange experience and she was unsure it had done any good.

The chair being pushed back made a huge noise in the small room. Standing now, she pathetically added, "Detective Barber will be with you in a few minutes, Jaime."

She had almost made it out the door when…

"Thank you, Andy McNally," Brennan said weakly, "for them…and I'm sorry… about Sam.

All Andy could manage was a quick nod and an even faster retreat.


End file.
